Remote Wellness Blog—SA Student-run
Let me be honest. I did not start exercising to “get fit.” I started because I was anxious, the kind of anxiety that tightens your chest, races your thoughts, and makes your whole body feel like it is constantly under attack. I did not always have the words for it, but I knew I was tired of waking up with dread in my stomach, overthinking everything, and feeling overwhelmed all the time.
I tried a lot of things: journaling, cutting back on sugary items, even crying it out (more often than I would like to admit). But one thing that made a real difference? Movement. Not the aesthetic kind. Not the “fitspo” kind. Just simple, mood-focused, non-performative movement.
Here is how fitness; realistic, human, and imperfect: helped ease my anxiety. Maybe it can help you too.
1. It Got Me Out of My Head and Into My Body
When I am anxious, I live in my head. My thoughts go on fast-forward, and I cannot find the pause button.
But when I move, even just for 10 minutes, I shift from spiraling thoughts to feeling:
- My heartbeat
- My breath
- My muscles moving
- The rhythm of the music in my ears
That grounds me. It reminds me I am here, not stuck in the past or panicking about the future.
2. It Released the Pressure Inside Me
Anxiety often feels like pressure building up with nowhere to go. Fitness became my pressure valve. Some days I did jumping jacks, and other days I just stretched or cleaned the house like a maniac. Every time I moved, I felt a little lighter. Not “fixed.” Just relieved. And when you live with anxiety, even a little relief matters.
3. It Taught Me to Breathe Again
I did not realize how shallow my breathing had become until I started moving again. Through yoga or bodyweight workouts, I learned:
- To Inhale through the nose
- Hold for a few seconds
- Exhale slowly
Repeat
That conscious breathing followed me off the mat, before exams, after a tough message, or during a spiral. It became a lifeline.
4. It Gave Me Something to Control
Anxiety makes you feel powerless. But fitness gave me something small I could choose.
- I can do five squats right now.
- I can go for a short walk.
- I can stretch for 10 minutes.
That little sense of control whispered, “You’re not helpless.”
5. It Helped Me Sleep (Finally)
An anxious brain does not rest easily. For years, I struggled with racing thoughts and tension before bed. After building a consistent (and gentle) workout habit, I noticed I started falling asleep more easily. I would wake up with less weight on my chest. Movement burned off some of that nervous energy. It told my body, “You’re safe now. You can rest.”
6. It Reminded Me I’m Strong
This part took time. But every time I moved, even on days I was tired, sad, or shaky, I was proving something:
- “I’m still showing up.”
- “My body can carry me, even when my mind is heavy.”
- “I’m not broken.”
Let me be clear: Fitness did not cure my anxiety, but it became a tool I reach for, one that helps me live with it more gently. I was not chasing a body goal. I was chasing peace. Some days, all I do is stretch. Other days, I dance around my room like no one’s watching (because, honestly, no one is). And that’s enough. The goal is not perfection, but it is relief, connection, and healing.
